US federal officials say it is time to consider the possibility that North Atlantic right whales could become extinct, unless new steps are taken to protect them. There are only about 450 whales left and 17 have died in 2017.

Human activity, from overfishing to agriculture, is forcing a vast number of species to vanish from the wild. A staggering 41% of all amphibians on the planet now face extinction while 26% of mammal species and 13% of birds are similarly threatened.

A record number of tigers died in India over the most recent census period, a total of 274 deceased in the last four years. More than 70 per cent of tiger deaths were due to poaching or for undetermined reasons.

Marius is a healthy half year old giraffe. Yet he will be killed with a bolt gun in Copenhagen Zoo on Sunday. Copenhagen Zoo each year kills between 20 and 30 so-called "surplus animals", including lions, tigers, bears and zebras.

Faced with the threat of horse-mounted Sudanese elephant poachers armed with machine guns, the central African nation has deployed military helicopters and 600 soldiers to try to protect the park and its animals.

Scenes show workers euthanizing a piglet by swinging it into a metal post and kicking and slapping a pig that is having trouble getting up. Pork industry experts say most of what is seen in the hidden camera investigation is widely accepted practice.